Cereal Research Articles

Prevalence and Parental Perceived Efficacy of Rice Cereal in Bottles Used as a Natural Sleep Aid for Infants Aged 0-11 Months

Purpose: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends against the routine use of rice cereal in the bottle (RIB) to improve infant sleep patterns. The AAP also states that the use of RIB is a choking hazard and may lead to excessive weight gain. Additionally, RIB as a milk thickening agent can cause a change in stool consistency and result in constipation. Despite the lack of scientific evidence and …

Biochemical and physiological flexibility accompanies reduced cellulose biosynthesis in Brachypodium cesa1 S830N.

Here, we present a study into the mechanisms of primary cell wall cellulose formation in grasses, using the model cereal grass Brachypodium distachyon. The exon found adjacent to the BdCESA1 glycosyltransferase QXXRW motif was targeted using Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) and sequencing candidate amplicons in multiple parallel reactions (SCAMPRing) leading to the identification of the Bdcesa1S830N allele. Plants carrying this missense mutation exhibited a significant reduction in crystalline cellulose content in tissues that rely on the primary cell wall for biomechanical support. However, Bdcesa1S830N plants failed to exhibit the predicted reduction in plant height. In a mechanism unavailable to eudicotyledons, B. distachyon plants homozygous for the Bdcesa1S830N allele appear to overcome the loss of internode expansion anatomically by increasing the number of nodes along the stem. Stem biomechanics were resultantly compromised in Bdcesa1S830N. The Bdcesa1S830N missense mutation did not interfere with BdCESA1 gene expression. However, molecular dynamic simulations of the CELLULOSE SYNTHASE A (CESA) structure with modelled membrane interactions illustrated that Bdcesa1S830N exhibited structural changes in the translated gene product responsible for reduced cellulose biosynthesis. Molecular dynamic simulations showed that substituting S830N resulted in a stabilizing shift in the flexibility of the class specific region arm of the core catalytic domain of CESA, revealing the importance of this motion to protein function.

Optimizing between-row and within-row spacing for Artemisia sphaerocephala (Asteraceae) seed production

A reasonable plant density is the basis for improvement of seed yield by agronomic practice. Previous researches had addressed the influence of plant density on cereal crops and grasses, but little information can be accessed for native plant with potential industrial applications. Artemisia sphaerocephala (Asteraceae) is a widely used pioneer species on moving and semi-stable sand dunes in China. Seed of A. sphaerocephala can provide valuable raw materials to a wide range of industrial purposes. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum between-row and within-row spacing for A. sphaerocephala seed production. Field trials were conducted in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province, China, from 2016 to 2018. The experiment was a split plot in randomized complete block design containing three between-row spacing treatments (100, 140, and 180 cm) and four within-row spacing treatments (40, 60, 80, and 100 cm). Meanwhile, correlation and path coefficient analysis were used to determine the contribution of yield components to seed yield. The greatest seed yield were obtained at the combinations of between-row spacing of 140 cm and within-row spacing of 60 and 80 cm, at which combinations the total net profits were also the highest (4304.6 and 4215.9 $ ha−1). Seed germination was not influenced by between-row and within-row spacing treatments. Among yield components, stems per square meter and inflorescences per stem had the greatest contributions on seed yield (0.913 and 0.857 for direct path coefficient, respectively). In conclusion, medium plant densities (between-row spacing: 140 cm, within-row spacing: 60–80 cm) would be optimum for A. sphaerocephala seed production without reducing seed quality. Future breeding program and agronomic practice for A. sphaerocephala should pay more attention to increase stem per square meter and inflorescences per stem. This study will provide useful information to researchers, farmers, pharmaceutical companies, and government program directors to better evaluate the potential industrial utilization of A. sphaerocephala.

The role of perennial grasses in creating a sustainable feed base by conveyor use

Currently, the most urgent task in improving the industry of feed production is the creation of green and raw materials conveyors, which will allow an uninterrupted supply of vegetable raw materials from early spring to late autumn for feeding farm animals and preparing high-quality feed. The research has shown that the most optimal time for mowing alfalfaclover-cereals mixtures with high fodder values is the budding phase - the start of flowering of legume grasses in the conveyor system with 10.6-15.2% of raw protein content in the crop. It was noted that the cultivation of meadow clover varieties of various ripening time mixed with a wide range of alfalfa and cereal grasses lead to the decrease in the effect of unfavorable weather conditions and to 15-20% increase in grass mixtures productivity. The article presents recommendations for the extension of the productive longevity of grass stands up to five years using mixtures with different ripening varieties of meadow clover and alfalfa with grass components of a new generation with productivity up to 32.8 t / ha of green mass. According to the field test of 2013-2017, the article provides data on the green mass productivity of alfalfa-clover-cereals grass stands with the addition of early ripening varieties of grasses, which for two mowings averaged 29.4 t / ha in 2013-2014 and 30.1 t / ha in 2015-2017. The methods of creating and using grass mixtures have been indicated, the best time for mowing has been defined by conveyor use of them in the Upper Volga region. The scheme of the green and raw materials conveyor with the use of differently ripening grass mixtures, consisting of new species and varieties of forage grasses of different periods of ripening, is given. It has been established that the use of legume-grass mixtures allows to obtain high-quality raw material for the production of bulk feed within 110-120 days, which acts as the way to increase the efficiency of fodder production. An expanded range of fodder grasses creates the conditions for improving the sustainability of fodder production in less dependence on extreme weather conditions.

Роль нетрадиционных кормовых культур в кормопроизводстве Верхневолжья и научные основы их возделывания в одновидовых и смешанных посевах

The results of many years of research on the comparative study of single-species and mixed crops of non-traditional forage crops, including festulolium used to create a sustainable forage base balanced in energy, protein and carbohydrates, are presented. The scientific basis for the cultivation of herbs in single and mixed sowing has been determined. It was established that the yield of green mass of festulolium is high-er than that of traditional cereal grasses and on control for an average of three years amounted to 19.8 t/ha, against the background of mineral nutrition — 29.9 t/ha. In mixed sowings, grass mixtures consisting of clover and festulolium and alfalfa and festulolium were distinguished in terms of productivi-ty and fodder value. They provided the harvest of fodder units of 7.95 and 8.65 thousand/ha, with the provision of the fodder unit with digestible protein at the level of the norm or much higher than it — 101–134 g, with an optimal (0.8–1.0) sugar-protein ratio on both backgrounds. The positive effect of grasses on soil fertility, expressed in the accumulation of a significant amount of crop-root residues and nitrogen, is shown. Single-species crops of clover and alfalfa have accumulated 9.83 and 14.8 t/ha of crop-root re-sidues at the control and 10.8 and 19.5 t/ha against the background of mineral nutrition, with which 154, 328 and 253, 431 kg, respectively, were supplied with nitrogen ha, of which symbiotic – 65, 140 and 85, 183 kg/ha.

Mass Transfer Modeling Phenomena at Breakfast Cereal Hydrated with Lactose-free Milk by Artificial Neural Network, Empirical Models and Response Surface

Siqueira A. P. S., Silva T., Amorim F., Pereira T., Santos J., Lourenco M. F., 2018, Technological use of corn pericarp for the production of snacks. Agrarian, 11, 79-88.Somavilla M., Oliveira V. R., Storck C. R., 2016, Centesimal and mineral composition in the freezing and associated use of microwave for bean thawing. Disciplinarum Scientia| Saude, 12, 103-114.Brazilian Food Composition Table - TACO. 4th edition revised and expanded. UNICAMP- Campinas – SP – 2011.Vasquez N., Magan C., Oblitas J., Chuquizuta T., Avila-George H., Castro W., 2018, Comparison between artificial neural network and partial least squares regression models for hardness modeling during the ripening process of Swiss-type cheese using spectral profiles. Journal of Food Engineering, 219, 8-15.

Influence of Roasting Process in Six Coffee Arabica Cultivars: Analysis of Volatile Components Profiles

The complex composition of coffee aroma depends on the several factors regarding green coffee such as species and variety of the beans, origin , seeds size, colour (Toci and Farah, 2014). The most important coffee varieties are known to be Coffea arabica with good organoleptic characteristics, and Coffea canephora , known as Robusta of inferior quality. Development of aroma compounds also is greatly dependent upon the degree of roasting (Lopez-Galilea et al., 2006). In the roasting process almost 840 volatile organic compounds (VOC) are evaluated (Saw et al., 2015). The aim of this work is to investigate of the aromatic profile of six Arabica cultivar from Africa, Central and South America at different roasting degrees (light, medium and dark) and to establish odordescriptor categories as indicators for the assessment of flavour differences. The three roasting degrees were obtained in laboratory considering as target the industrial products and coffee roasting intensity was evaluated by a polychromatic colorimeter. The aromatic compounds of espresso coffee were evaluated by static headspace gas mass chromatography. The 67 key odors identified were classified in ten smell groups: floral, ethereal, fruit, chocolate, sweet and sugary, nut, grain and cereals, roast, spice, vegetal and earthy as suggested by Flament (2001). Results showed a consistent difference between different origins, depending on roasting intensity and maturation time, reflecting the possibility to optimize espresso coffee mixtures in an analytic way.

GALEGA ORIENTALIS IN A MIXTURE WITH CEREAL GRASSES ON THE DRAINED SOIL OF THE HUMID ZONE

GALEGA ORIENTALIS IN A MIXTURE WITH CEREAL GRASSES ON THE DRAINED SOIL OF THE HUMID ZONE

Parallelism and convergence in post-domestication adaptation in cereal grasses.

The selection of desirable traits in crops during domestication has been well studied. Many crops share a suite of modified phenotypic characteristics collectively known as the domestication syndrome. In this sense, crops have convergently evolved. Previous work has demonstrated that, at least in some instances, convergence for domestication traits has been achieved through parallel molecular means. However, both demography and selection during domestication may have placed limits on evolutionary potential and reduced opportunities for convergent adaptation during post-domestication migration to new environments. Here we review current knowledge regarding trait convergence in the cereal grasses and consider whether the complexity and dynamism of cereal genomes (e.g., transposable elements, polyploidy, genome size) helped these species overcome potential limitations owing to domestication and achieve broad subsequent adaptation, in many cases through parallel means. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.

Screening for Fittest Miscellaneous Cereals for Reclaimed Land and Functionality Improvement of Sorghum bicolor Cultivated in Reclaimed Land

Screening for Fittest Miscellaneous Cereals for Reclaimed Land and Functionality Improvement of Sorghum bicolor Cultivated in Reclaimed Land

Promoting minor millets for food and nutritional security

The term millet includes a number of small grained cereal grasses, According to the grain size, millets have been categorized as major millets which include sorghum and pearl millet and several small grained millets which include finger millet (ragi) foxtail millet (kangni), kodo millet (kodo), proso millet (cheena), barnyard millet (sawan) and little millet (kutki). Minor millets are borne on short, slender and grassy plants. They are mainly grown in arid, semi-arid or mountain zones as rainfed crops in marginal and sub-marginal soils. These cereals have the capacity of growing during adverse soil and climatic conditions and several of their cultivars are of short duration (60-80 days) producing about 0.5 t ha(-1) which is better than no crop. Some of the minor millets are ideal for contingency crop planning to take advantages of late receipt of rains, failure of the first crop due to unexpected long drought or even receding flood situations. They are amazing in their nutritional content. Compared to rice and wheat mineral content in small/minor millets is higher. While finger millet contains 30 times more calcium than rice and wheat, other minor millets contain at least two times more calcium than rice and wheat. Little millet and foxtail millet have a higher amount of iron. They are also have therapeutic qualities. Minor millets, being non-glutanous, therefore are used for people with gluten allergy. The fat content in minor millets not only provides energy but also aids in balanced proportions and is rich in methionine, cysteine and lysine. These are especially beneficial to vegetarians who depend on plant food for their protein nourishment. The grain contains high proportions of carbohydrates and dietary fibre which help in prevention of constipation, lowering cholesterol and slow release of glucose to the blood stream during digestion. Important vitamins viz., thiamine, riboflavin and niacin are present in higher quantities. However, it is also reported that cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcers and hypoglycaemia occur rarely in minor millet eaters. In spite of several health and economic benefits, minor millets are disappearing from the people's diet and farm soils due to the shift in food habits, rapid rate of urbanization, time and energy required to prepare minor millet based foods, poor marketing facilities and processing techniques. Mechanical polishing is well-known for rice, wheat and maize but for minor cereals this step is unknown. For instance, large scale imports of rice and wheat and policies to subsidize production of those crops had negative impact on the production of minor millets. Therefore, urgent attention must be given to the production and consumption of these minor cereal crops to ensure food and nutritional security throughout the country.

Determination of Aflatoxin Contents of Some Chips and Snacks with Peanut by Post Column UV Derivatization System

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins, mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus nominus. Mycotoxin is found in foods which stored in hot, humid and unhealthy conditions such as cereals especially maize and rice, some animal source foods such as milk and cheese, hard-shelled fruits such as walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts, dried fruits and spices. Aflatoxins are composed of six main groups namely B1, B2, G1, G2, M1 and M2. There is a strong statistical relationship between aflatoxin uptake and primary liver cancer. The aim of this study is to determine the amount of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2 in some chips and snacks with peanut consumed in Istanbul. In this study 10 different types of chips and 4 different types of peanut bars samples obtained from the markets in Istanbul were grinded and aflatoxin determination was performed. The analysis was carried out by HPLC using immunoaffinity chromatography and post-column UV derivatization system. B1 and B2 aflatoxins are determined in 50% of the peanut-chips in the range of 5-24 µg/kg. Aflatoxin B1 values of 30% of peanut-chips found above the limit. G1 aflatoxin was not found in samples. According to the related notification in Turkish Food Codex, it is determined that total aflatoxin amount is above the limit in 30% of chips products. The amount of aflatoxin determined in snack bars is below the maximum limit. According to the European Community, limit values for aflatoxin B1 that can be found in human food is 2-4 µg/kg. In our country, the maximum acceptable value for peanuts, other oil seeds and spices is 5 μg/kg for aflatoxin B1 and 10 µg/kg for total aflatoxin.

Incidence of Fusarium foot and root rot of cereals under conservation agriculture in north west Tunisia.

Conservation agriculture, based on direct drilling for crop establishment, has emerged in Tunisia since 1999/2000 as an alternative to conventional agriculture based on conventional drilling. The main objective of this approach is to ensure yield stability from crops and replenishment of soil organic matter. Previous research has demonstrated increased risks from pathogens favoured by mulching. The impacts of direct drilling on yields, and Fusarium foot and root rot of durum wheat, oat and barley, were studied over three successive growing seasons (2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12) in northwest Tunisia. Disease incidence was estimated by the recovery frequency of Fusarium spp. isolates from stem bases and roots of plants of the three cereals. In addition, disease severity was assessed by occurrence of whiteheads that senesced prematurely, and the browning intensity on durum wheat stem bases. Grain yields were recorded at the ripening stages. Fusarium culmorum and F. pseudograminearum were isolated from the three cereals, with F. culmorum being the dominant pathogen . Direct drilling increased the incidence (60%) of these pathogens on stem bases and roots during the warmer seasons of 2009/10 and 2010/11, but less infection (37%) compared to conventional drilling was observed in the wetter season of 2011/12. Direct drilling increased the percentage of whiteheads of durum wheat (73%), but did not affect disease severity, which was estimated by the discolouration on stem bases and grain yield.

Impact of oat processing on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in healthy humans: a randomised clinical trial.

Oats can be processed in a variety of ways ranging from minimally processed such as steel-cut oats (SCO), to mildly processed such as large-flake oats (old fashioned oats, OFO), moderately processed such as instant oats (IO) or highly processed in ready-to-eat oat cereals such as Honey Nut Cheerios (HNC). Although processing is believed to increase glycaemic and insulinaemic responses, the effect of oat processing in these respects is unclear. Thus, we compared the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses elicited by 628 kJ portions of SCO, OFO, IO and HNC and a portion of Cream of Rice cereal (CR) containing the same amount of available-carbohydrate (23 g) as the oatmeals. Healthy males (n 18) and females (n 12) completed this randomised, cross-over trial. Blood was taken fasting and at intervals for 3 h following test-meal consumption. Glucose and insulin peak-rises and incremental AUC (iAUC) were subjected to repeated-measures ANOVA using Tukey's test (two-sided P<0·05) to compare individual means. Glucose peak-rise (primary endpoint, mean (sem) mmol/l) after OFO, 2·19 (sem 0·11), was significantly less than after CR, 2·61 (sem 0·13); and glucose peak-rise after SCO, 1·93 (sem 0·13), was significantly less than after CR, HNC, 2·49 (sem 0·13) and IO 2·47 (sem 0·13). Glucose iAUC was significantly lower after SCO than CR and HNC. Insulin peak rise was similar among the test meals, but insulin iAUC was significantly less after SCO than IO. Thus, the results show that oat processing affects glycaemic and insulinaemic responses with lower responses associated with less processing.

Nutritional Knowledge and Food Consumption of Adolescent Students in Junior High Schools in a Rural Community in the Eastern Region of Ghana

This study examined the relationship between adolescents’ nutritional knowledge and food consumption in Junior High Schools in Asiakwa in the Eastern Region of Ghana at the third term of 2017/2018 academic year. It adopted the Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) Model Theory postulated by Schwartz (1976) where a descriptive survey design was used to collect quantitative data through a structured questionnaire and ten (10) objective test items all from 236 participants using the purposive and proportionate stratified random sampling techniques. With the aid of the version 22 Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS), descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics, Pearson Product Moment correlation were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that 54.9% of the adolescent students’ had fair nutritional knowledge, with 40.5% having good knowledge and 4.6% having poor knowledge. It was discovered that generally, adolescent students’ exhibited snacking habits as snacks and sweets were predominantly consumed (M=3.48, SD=1.59) followed by starchy roots and plantain (M=3.40, SD=1.45), cereals and grains (M=3.16, SD=1.36), animal and animal products (M=3.08, SD=1.47), fat and oil (M=2.93, SD=1.48), legumes (M=2.73, SD=1.42), with fruits and vegetables (M=2.69, SD=1.55) being the least consumed food. Besides, the study discovered that there is a small but significant positive relationship between the adolescent students nutritional knowledge and food consumption (r=0.112, p=0.074, 2-tailed). Based on these results, it was recommended that school authorities and Home Economics teachers should organize nutrition education programmes aimed at improving knowledge and awareness so as to heighten good food consumption among adolescent students’ in Asiakwa.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ПОДСЕВА ЛЮЦЕРНЫ НА ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ БОБОВО-ЗЛАКОВОГО ТРАВОСТОЯ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ ЯКУТИИ

Productivity of the sown pastures created in the conditions of the Central Yakutia, first of all, depends on security of grasses with nitrogen. The rational combination of biological and mineral nitrogen helps to solve the problems of plant protein in the permafrost soils of Yakutia. The need to use a biological source of nitrogen is currently due to the lack and high cost of nitrogen fertilizers supplied. An important environmentally friendly source of nitrogen is biological nitrogen accumulated by perennial legumes due to symbiosis with nodule bacteria. Legumes have the unique ability to provide themselves with the necessary amount of biological nitrogen and enrich the soil with it. The aim of the research is to study the effect of alfalfa sowing on the productivity of legume-grass stand during haying. Research on the effect of seeding alfalfa on productivity conducted in the scientific station of Institute. Overseeding alfalfa were the summer sowing. Experience laid on the herbage of the seventh year of life (1997). Experience had 8 options: 4 options grasses - lakokraski Sitnikova grade Mancari, awnless brome variety Khaptagayskiy, legume-grass pasture includes grasses and alfalfa sickle grade Yakut yellow in 4-fold repetition. The efficiency of mineral nitrogen (N 120 ) against the background of P 60 K 60 was studied, inoculation of alfalfa seeds was carried out using the bacterial preparation Yakut local strain KB № 1. The article presents the results of studies on the effect of alfalfa seeding on the productivity of old-age cereal and legume-grass. An optimal species composition of cereal, legume-cereal grass, yield formation, and determines the productivity of seeded grass stands when haying use. According to the results of studies, the seeded grass of the thirteenth year of life with the introduction of N 120 formed the maximum yield in the cereal grass to 2,4 t/ha of dry matter and exceeded the control by 118%, the exchange energy of 19,8,GJ/ha of raw protein 449 kg/ha, feed units 1,2 thousand from 1 ha. Higher productivity was obtained by switching on alfalfa legume-cereal grass under scarification - 1.4 thousand feed. Significant increase in the sowing of inoculated alfalfa seeds obtained a maximum yield of 3.4 t/ha of dry matter. Under the influence of inoculation of seeds, the productivity of grass increases by 353 feed unit per 1 ha, exchange energy per 5.6 GJ, crude protein per 3.0 C. dry matter. The highest increase in nitrogen collection was obtained in the variant with alfalfa sowing at inoculation up to 604 kg/ha, which can replace the use of mineral nitrogen at a dose of 224 kg per hectare. Thus, to increase the productivity of sown legume-grass stands, it is necessary to use the bacterial preparation Yakut local strain KB № 1.

Prediction of genetic gain using selection indices in maize lines

Maize is an important cereal crop in scientific research area and the world economy, where Brazil is one of the leading producers. High production and productivity are partly due to plant breeding programs, where the selection of superior genotypes is based on indexes. This strategy has been very efficient o obtaining superior genotypes since there are simultaneous gains for various agronomic and economic characters. The aim of the research was to measure genetic gain through inbred selection based on the selection index, as well to compare the efficiency of the different index in order to verify which one is more recommended to a phenotypic selection of maize inbreeds. To achieve this, 256 inbreeds were experimentally evaluated in 12 environments. The characters evaluated were grain yield, fecundity, lodging and breaking plant, plant height, ear height, relative position of the ear, male and female flowering and the flowering interval. Selection intensities of 10 and 20% were applied in the direct selection in seven study indexes. The analysis showed that the direct selection of the characters was not effective for the selection of superior maize genotypes. and the Smith and Hazel's index and Williams's index got higher gains yield for the genotypes evaluated. Key words: direct selection, obtaining hybrids, pure lines, Zea may L.

Cross-taxon transferability of sugarcane expressed sequence tags derived microsatellite (EST-SSR) markers across the related cereal grasses

Sugarcane is a crop of economic importance providing sugar and bioenergy resource which has a substantial contribution to the national GDP of India as well as other countries. Genomes of the several grasses have co-evolved which share large-scale synteny and genome collinearity; hence it is possible to employ EST-SSR markers of one grass species for genetic study of other related species. A set of sixty potentially informative EST-derived microsatellite (SSR) markers were employed to examine their cross-taxa transferability across the limit of taxonomic boundaries of different grass genomes. The high (96.6%) rate of SSRs cross-transferability observed in genus Saccharum followed by Erianthus (93.3%), Narenga (88.3%), Sclerostachya (86.3%), and Miscanthus (83.3%). Relatively lower rates of cross amplification were observed in other cereal crops including Sorghum bicolor, Pennisetum glaucum, Zea mays, Triticum aestivum, Oryza sativa, and Avena sativa. Cross-transferable EST-SSR markers were utilized to evaluate phylogenetic relationships among genus Saccharum, closely related genera of Saccharum complex, and other allied cereal grasses. The polymorphic information content values ranged from 0.35 to 0.95, with an average of 0.71. Such a high rates of cross-taxa transferability of the EST-SSRs make them a potent tool for genetic studies and comparative genomics across wide evolutionary distances within and across genera along with technologically simplicity and cost effectiveness. EST-SSRs will facilitate to devise potent tools for genetic improvement through advance molecular breeding of such crops for high grain productivity and better quality. They will especially be useful for the orphan grass species, which contribute a major part of the global food security.

Some Peculiarities in Application of Denaturating and Non-Denaturating In Situ Hybridization on Chromosomes of Cereals

Some Peculiarities in Application of Denaturating and Non-Denaturating In Situ Hybridization on Chromosomes of Cereals

DOSING OF DIFFICULT-TO-SOW SEEDS BY SEEDING DEVICES

The sowing unit is one of the main devices of any planter, determining the quality of sowing, especially when it comes to the sowing unit of the central dosing. The article describes the proposed technological scheme of sowing of difficult seeds with a pin-disc type metering device. Its feature is the presence of an activator of seed outflow from the bunker. The proposed apparatus is capable of dispensing hard-to-sowing seeds with high quality, which include most of the seeds of cereal grasses (and not only). An original technique and a specially developed laboratory setup for assessing the longitudinal uniformity of seeding are described. The essence of the technique consists in sowing seeds on a moving horizontal platform with sectors of the same size. With its use, time and labor costs for conducting experiments are significantly reduced. The results of theoretical and experimental studies to determine the optimal design and operational parameters of the proposed device are given. Analysis of the results of the research is presented herewith.